U.S. Pat. No. 2,979,353 discloses a ball joint having an elastomeric bearing supporting a ball in a socket. During assembly of the ball joint, the elastomeric bearing is bonded to the ball. The ball and elastomeric bearing are then forced into an open end of the socket. The bearing is elastically deformed and takes the shape of the inside of the socket when forced into the socket. A closing die then deforms the open end of the socket to close the socket around the bearing, and to give the closed socket and the bearing substantially spherical shapes.